Support for ironing machine rolls



June 7, 19325 w. H. JAXHEIMER 1,361,499

SUPPORT FOR IRONING MACHINE ROLLS Filed Jan. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNE Y June 7, 1932. w. H. JAXHEIMER 1,861,499

SUPPORT FOR IRONING MACHINE ROLLS Filed Jan. 25, 1929 2 SheetS -Sheet 2 INVENTORQ E4 ATTORNEY Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. JAXHEIMEB, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TO' SMITH, DRUM & COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF.

PENNSYLVANIA SUPPORT FOR IRONING MACHINE ROLLS Application filed January 23, 1929. Serial No. 334,390;

The present invention relates to ironing machines and more particularly to an improvement in roll supports.

In roll supports for fiat work ironers and the like it has been more or less general practice to maintain the ironing rolls pressed toward the heated cylinder or the steam chest by means of springs which are capable of adj ustment to obtain the desired yielding pressure. In some instances attempts have been made to counteract the weight of the roll by balancing springs acting in opposition to the aforesaid pressure springs but due to the fact that such balancing springs have'been located below the roll in close proximity to the steam chest they fail to carry out the end desired because of their inaccessibility for adjustment. In other words, it is practically impossible to reach the balancing springs for adjustment and hence all kinds of articles are run through the machine in one set condition, with the result that garment buttons are crushed and broken which would not ordinarily be the case were it practically possible to vary the spring adjustment to suit the type of garment or article being ironed.

Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide an improved spring support for rolls of flat work ironers and the like H: to provide a roll construction which overcomes the difiieult-ies and disadvantages of present day roll construction; to provide an accessible adjustment for the supports of an ironing roll; to provide a roll supporting mechanism wherein both the roll supporting springs and roll pressure springs are located exteriorly of the machine of which the rolls are a part; to provide a roll suspension construction wherein provision is made for adjustment to take care of all classes of goods being ironed and whereby garments havin buttons can be ironed without damage; anc to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, .Fig. 1 represents an end elevation in part section of an ironing machine equipped with one form of the present invention; Fig. 2 represents a plan of an end of one of the ironing rolls and its pressure controlled support; and Fig.

3 represents asection on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1, an ironing machine is generally shown of the type having side frames spaced apart to receive and support between them a steam chest 11 and cooperating ironing roll 12, or as is usually the case a plurality of ironing rolls. Since the roll supporting mechanism of the invention is the same at opposite ends of the same roll, and is merely duplicated for each additional roll used, the present description will be confined to one end of one roll for the sake of brevity and clearness.

The frame 10, at the roll end under consideration, carries a bearing saddle 13 provided with upstanding lugs 14 to seat the bearing sleeve 15 in which the shaft 16 of the roll 12 is journalled. In order that the sleeve 15 can move vertically relative to the saddle 13, the latter is provided with side slots 17 of a Width to receive and guide the sleeve 15. Also provision is made for lifting the saddle 13 vertically to thereby elevate all of the ironing rolls 12 above and spaced from the steam chest 11. This lifting of the saddle 13, which is common to all of the roll bearings at one side of the machine, can take place by any well-known means such as heads 18 connected by pins 19 to the saddle 13 and to connecting rods 20 driven respectively by eccentrics 21 on countershafts 22 For the purpose of yieldingly pressing the roll 12 toward its bed in the chest 11, a coil spring 23 is provided having one end seating on the top of the sleeve 15 where it is held against lateral displacement by encircling a boss 24:. The opposite end of the spring 23 receives a follower 25 which is held in spring tension adjustment by a screw 26 threaded through the top of a cover member 27, this latter being bolted or otherwise made fast to the saddle 13. A nut 28 serves to lock the adjusting screw 26 in any set. position. By loosening the nut 28 and applying a suitable tool to the polygonal head 30 of the screw 26, the desired spring tension can be obtained for exerting pressure upon the iron ing roll, the range of adjustment being from a minimum to a maximum as will be apparent.

In order to counteract the Weight of the roll 12 either to give a balance or floating effect to the roll or to vary the weight of the roll upon the goods-being ironed, the sleeve 15 is provided with a laterally projecting and upwardly disposed boss 31 which is axially form'ed'with a threaded hole to receive a bolt 32 which therefore projects upwardly from the boss 31. The end of the bolt 32 is provided with a follower 33 and terminates in a nut 3i whereby the bolt can be adjusted relative to the boss 31 A coil spring 35 encircles the shank of the bolt 32 and is compressed bet'ween the follower 33 and a fixed bracket 36 which extends laterally from the cover member 27. In the present instance this bracket is integral with the member 27 a'n'dserves as a fixed abutment against which the spring 35-acts'to hold the follower 33 upwardly pressed in a direction opposite to the weight of theroll 12. The bolt 32 and its associated parts are preferably enclosedin a cap 37 which can be readily removed to permit access to the nut 34 when it is necessary to make a change of adjustment in the pressure exerted in a direction counter to the weight of the roll 12. From the foregoing and by reference to Fig. 2, it will be evident that both the pressure spring 23 and the balancing spring 35 and their respective associated parts are located outside the machine proper, in this instance both being at the top of'the machine and hence both are readily accessible in order to make adjustments whereby the spring pressures are changed to meet varying conditions.

It'will now be apparent that a complete unitary roll suspension means has been provided wherein the weight of the roll can be augmented by spring pressure to give a. predetermined pressing effect and wherein'also the weight of the roll can be balanced in a predetermined manner-to give substantially any desired yielding action. In other words, the spring means of the present invention which counteract with respect to the weight of the roll and the pressure springs can be so set that theroll is suspended with a' sub- 'stantially floating effect and then by'proper adjustment of the pressure springs the ironing pressure can be regulated to give an ethcient ironing of the garments without damage to buttons. Furthermore, both sets of springs which act upon theroll are located at the same side of the roll' shaft and in an accessible position so that the spring tension can be quickly and conveniently adj usted whenever necessary.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1 A floating support for an end of an iron ingroll comprising a bearing for receiving an' end of the roll shaft, a support in which said bearing is free to slide vertically, a shank fixed to and rising vertically from said bearing, a housing attached to said support and forming two spring receiving chambers, one of said chambers encircling said shank, said shank being movable relative thereto, means including a spring in said one chamber coacting with said housing to press said shank to move said bearing in one direction,-and a spring in the other of said chambers 'andcoacting with said housingto press saidbearing in the opposite direction whereby said ironing roll is held'in a predetermined floating position. I

2. A floating support for an end of an ironing roll comprising a'bearing for receiving an end of the roll shaft, a support in which said bearing is free to slide vertically,- a shank iixed to and rising vertically from said-bearing, a housing attachedto said support and forming two spring receiving chambers, one of said chambers encircling said shank, said shank being movable relative thereto, means including a spring in said'one chamber coacting with said housing tovpress said shank to move said bearing'in one direction, a spring in the other of said chambers and coacting with said housingto press said bearing in the opposite direction, and adjusting means for each spring accessible from above said bearing.

In an ironing. machine the combination of a heating member, an ironing roll;,-1neans including bearing'sleeves for journalling said roll, means for supporting said sleeves for sliding movement. to vary the position of said ironing roll with respect to said heating member, a coil spring engaging each of said sleeves to urge said roll toward said heating member, an abutment projecting laterally from said s'upport'means above each bearing sleeve and provided with an aperture, shanks fixed to said bearing sleeves and passing through the respective apertures of said abutmentsto'permit relative movement therebetween, said shanks being parallel and adjacent to said coil springs, adjustable followers onv the free ends of the respective shanks, and coil springs compressed between each follower and each abutment for pressing said sleeves away from said heating member whereby said ironing rollhas a predetermined floating position.

Signed'at Philadelphia, .county of Philadelphia, State'of Pennsylvania, this 11th day of Jan.,.1929. H

\VILLIAM H. J AX-HEIMER. 

